Substance use among adolescents with diabetes mellitus: preliminary findings

Alcohol and drug use frequency was assessed by means of an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire in 79 diabetic adolescents who attended a diabetic sleep away camp. More than half of the participants reported using tobacco or alcohol at least once and 12%-25% reported greater that five times use in their lifetime. The overall frequency of drug and alcohol use was less than the general adolescent population. A modified Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) was used to evaluate abnormal drinking patterns, and 40%-50% of 12- and 16-year-old campers had an abnormal score, indicating that almost one-quarter of diabetic teens drink dangerously. There was a high correlation between campers who use drugs or alcohol and a positive family history of alcohol or substance abuse. Few campers perceived alcohol or drug use to affect their diabetic control, and the majority believed their control to be good to excellent, thus demonstrating the impact of denial in diabetic adolescent substance use. Adolescent diabetic assessments should include a psychosocial history, with emphasis on patterns of substance use, family substance abuse, and use of the MAST to identify high-risk individuals.